NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — A Long Island pet shop that advertised the "best of the best puppies" will have to pay $300,000 to 190 customers that bought sick pets, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Friday.
James sued Shake A Paw, which has a location in Hicksville and another in Lynbrook, in December 2021 after an investigation showed that the company falsely advertised sick pets as healthy, failed to disclose pets’ medical issues, misrepresented puppies’ breeds and refused to reimburse customers for veterinary bills they incurred because the dogs they bought were ill.
The investigation analyzed over 400 veterinary records of puppies sold at Shake A Paw and found that over half of the animals had upper respiratory problems, breathing problems or were infected with parasites, officials said.
Almost 10% were diagnosed with pneumonia, which can be fatal in dogs.
Authorities said that the health problems facing the puppies were consistent with those purchased from puppy mills.
Shake A Paw’s website advertised that it "[works] with the most trusted breeders nationwide and [handpicks] the best of the bunch," but the owners actually shipped thousands of puppies from known mills. One of these mills was listed on the Humane Society’s "horrible hundred" list of worst breeders in the country.
The company directed customers to their own veterinarians, who would fail to correctly diagnose illnesses, when they called to complain. Shake A Paw also illegally refused reimbursements and told customers they would not be reimbursed if they visited an independent veterinarian.
In one case, a customer bought a puppy that a Shake A Paw employee told them it was "fine," and it died six days later.
In another, a puppy was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection a week after purchase, and the company refused to reimburse the customer for $2,000 worth of veterinary bills. The attorney general’s office said that refusal is against New York’s Pet Lemon Law.
"New Yorkers who purchase a dog are seeking loyal and loving additions to their families. Unknowingly buying a sick puppy can be downright heartbreaking," James said. "Not only did Shake A Paw’s owners treat the dogs in their care despicably, they defrauded their customers by lying about their health, leaving many families stuck with expensive veterinary bills."
Friday’s settlement resolves the attorney general’s case against Shake A Paw, and in addition to the payout, the company is banned from sourcing pets from puppy mills. Shake A Paw must only purchase animals from brokers or breeders that are licensed with the USDA and lack recent violations, officials said.
The company must also amend all false advertising claiming it sells the "healthiest" puppies, and provide consumers with statements certifying puppy health, breeder information and vaccine history.
"As a longtime dog lover and customer affected by the neglect of these small helpless puppies, I am happy that justice is being served," former Shake A Paw customer Meaghan Huber said.
"While nothing will ever fill the void of losing my family’s dog Mei Mei just shy of her second birthday and seeing her as sick as she was, we will always love her unconditionally and know she is running around pain free looking down on us with her angel wings," she said.
In December 2024, Shake A Paw will be banned from selling dogs in accordance with a state ban on retail sales of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores.
At that point pet stores may only offer shelter adoption services, in a move by officials to combat abusive breeders and puppy mills.